The Bloodred Eyes
by GryffindorGoddess06
Summary: Harry's journey to find the truth regarding R.A.B. and the missing Horcruxes. Hermione, Ron and Ginny try to help him, but in the end, it's Harry decision. What will he choose?
1. A Late Night Snog?

Chapter One

"Harry!" a female voice called. Someone banged on the door, causing Harry Potter to sit upright in his bed. _Mum? _he wondered tiredly.

The door flew open. "Who's there?" Harry asked.

"It's me," the voice called. Harry blinked. "Oh, of course! You can't see me!" Harry heard smack, rustling, then a POP and Hermione Granger appeared in his doorway.

He rushed to cover himself with his sheets; he was wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. Hermione rolled her eyes.

Harry said, rather intelligently, "Er…"

Hermione moved around his room, gathering books and quills. The boy asked groggily, "Why are you here?" with a meaningful glance at the Muggle clock. It showed 1:23 a.m.

"For a late night snog." Harry's eyes widened. "Honestly, Harry! Why do you think I'm here? I'm taking you away, of course."

"Er…" Harry said again.

"Get dressed," she ordered sharply, tossing him a pair of trousers and a shirt. Harry caught them, and hurriedly dressed.

Afterward, he helped Hermione collect his belongings, stuffing everything unceremoniously into his trunk. He grabbed Hedwig's cage as Hermione tugged him by his arm out of his room and down the stairs.

"Quiet!" Harry urged, still sleepily. "You might wake the Dursley's!"

"I put a sleeping potion in the bottle of wine they received today." Harry smiled grimly. Earlier, the Dursley's had gotten a bottle of wine in the mail, supposedly from Vernon's company, to celebrate Dudley graduating.

"You spiked the wine?"

"That's right. Now hurry up!" she said, leading the way out of the house.

"Wait!" Harry scribbled, "Had to leave. Harry," on a slip of paper, and stuck it to the refrigerator. Upon joining Hermione outside, he asked, "How are we going to get there? I can't Apparate yet…"

"I borrowed from Hagrid for the occasion," she replied, smiling as she beckoned Harry behind the bushes. Harry stared at the plant.

"We're riding twigs?" He was amazed. Hermione shook her head furiously, and explained in quiet tones.

"No, course not! We're going to be riding," she paused, looking at Harry, "Buckbeak. Now, bow down," she instructed, and Harry obeyed, openmouthed. Though he couldn't see Beaky - as Hadgrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper liked to call him - Hermione was able to, and she nodded when the hypogriff sank to the ground.

"May I be so bold as to inquire," Harry teased, "why I cannot see you nor the noble steed?"

"Why, yes, you may. We both drank a Disillusionment Potion, and here is yours!" Harry took the small vial that was being handed to him, and drank the contents quickly. Immediately, his body turned to the shade of the bushes behind him.

Hermione moved quickly; she muttered a spell and lifted Harry's trunk with ease. At Harry's expression, she said, "Reducing-Gravity charm." At his further confused look, Hermione whispered, "Got permission from the Ministry for a night of underage magic." Harry nodded, and Hermione tied a rope around Buckbeak's belly, which connected to the trunk.

Harry felt his way to the hippogriff, and slowly mounted the creature. It was an usual feeling; not being able to see the mount, but Harry didn't mind too much. He did, though, mind when Hermione jumped on in front of him.

"You can't be bloody serious," he thought. Out loud, he said, "Hermione, c'mon. You can't even ride a broomstick!"

Harry heard a swish. "Er, not that you're broomstick-like, Beaky."

"Well, I got here, didn't I?" Hermione answered with a shrug. "It's not that hard, after all."

Harry gulped, then watched as Hermione turned the same texture as the wall in front of which they stood.

"Perfect!" she muttered, then tapped Buckbeak with both her feet. Upon the command, he rose, flapping his wings in perfect rhythm.

"Where are we go…" he began, when a thought crossed his mind. "How do I know that you're really Hermione Granger?" he asked nervously. He made a mental note to never again get on a hypogriff with someone who might not be who they seem.

"Ask me anything."

"Okay. Um…what nickname does Ron hate?"

"Ickle Ronniekins. Happy now?" Hermione sounded exasperated.

"Yes. Thanks. Now…where are we going, and why?"

"I-I can't tell you all, but there has been a crisis." Harry gulped.

"Crisis?"

"Yes, you know; a catastrophe." Harry could imagine her rolling her eyes, and he snapped, "I know what a crisis is! What happened?"

Hermione spun in her seat, and Buckbeak veered off course. Harry nearly fell off. "Hey, careful!" he reminded Hermione. "Now; what happened?"

"Sturgis Podmore has disappeared. He's believed dead." Harry gasped. "Mundungus was with him," Hermione added gravely.


	2. The Price

Chapter Two

"_WHAT?" _Harry almost yelled.

"McGonagall sent them out on a mission on July 3rd…and they never came back. The two were last seen near Godric's Hollow. Yes, I know it's horrible," she added at the look on Harry's face.

He said nothing for a long time. _That's been almost five days! It's already July 9th! _Finally, Harry asked, "Is it possible they're alive?"

Hermione nodded, though not too enthusiastically. "Possible…but not probable. Members of the Order need to check in every day…two days at the latest. McGonagall likes to know what is going on with them, you know, after Professor Dumbledore's death." Harry knew, but he was not too happy.

"I HATE not knowing things!" he snarled.

"No, Harry, not now. Please don't start," Hermione almost begged. Harry's fury fell away at the distressed sound of her voice. He sighed loudly.

"How much longer?" he wanted to know, for he was beginning to get cold.

"Not long now. Maybe ten, fifteen minutes." Hermione shivered too.

They landed, shaking from the cold, twenty minutes later. Harry stared up at the gloomy house. His house.

Shivering again, though this time not of cold, rather of horrid memories, he approached the building carefully. Hermione walked purposefully to the door, and muttered the password. Harry grumbled something that sounded a lot like, "I never get to know _anything_."

The inside of the house was the same miserable foyer, the same ugly elfs on the wall…the same people.

"Harry, dear! How wonderful to see you! Oh, so skinny again!" Someone hugged him fiercely.

"Good morning, Mrs. Weasley." Harry's greeting was muffled by the older woman's shoulder.

"Come now, everyone's waiting for you!" She ushered him into the dark kitchen.

Hermione followed, caring his trunk. Harry offered to help, but Hermione gave him a no nonsense look. Rolling his eyes, he went over to shake Ron's hands.

"Great to see you, mate!" Ron said enthusiastically. Hermione strode past Ginny, and kissed Ron. She thought back to last night:

_Hermione entered the kitchen. _

_"Mrs. Weasley? What's wrong?" she asked. Mrs. Weasley was bent over the table, head hanging down. Her hair fell out of her tight bun, and her knuckles were white from grasping the table's edge so hard. _

_"It's-" she began, then stopped abruptly. "Hermione, get Harry." _

_Hermione's eyebrows went up. What could be so wrong? she wondered. _

"_Harry? What about him? He's coming here?" an excited voice squealed. Hermione nodded, and Ginny ran up the stairs. _

"_Gotta change," she yelled in explanation. Hermione looked back at the red-headed woman. _

"_Please tell me, what happened?" _

"_He-he…" Mrs. Weasley began again, then stopped. "Get him. Right away!" Hermione nodded, feeling scared. She raced upstairs, and into the room she shared with Ginny. _

"_Er…Ginny?" Hermione asked carefully, standing in the doorway._

"_Yes?"_

"_I believe, that if you look in a mirror…you will notice that you forgot your skirt." _

_Ginny rolled her eyes, glancing down at her outfit: a black micro mini-skirt and a top fit for a toddler._

"_I need to show Harry what he's missing out on," Ginny explain. "I need to make him want me."_

_Hermione nodded, giggling. _

"…really happen?" Harry asked a weary-looking Mr. Weasley. "They cannot be found?" Hermione was pulled back from her memory. She solemnly nodded, along with Tonks.

"I'm afraid so." Mr. Weasley slumped in his chair.

"Where is Professor McGonagall?" Harry inquired.

"Hogwarts. Teachers' meeting."

"What do we do no-" Harry started to say, but stopped when he saw Ginny.

The young witch made a spectacular entrance; slowly walking down the stairs in her dramatic 3-inch heels, smiling a striking smile. Harry's eyes lit up, and he moved to the end of the steps, ready to be welcomed.

Ginny grinned, and Hermione rolled her eyes, vaguely reminded of those cheesy Muggle movies that she so often watched with her mother. _If only she fell now; then it'd be a perfect scene from those movies, _Hermione mused.

After one moment's time, Ginny finally reached the bottom, and Harry embraced her in a tight hug. Both beamed like maniacs, and Mrs. Weasley couldn't help but laugh.

Ginny pulled back and kissed Harry passionately. Ron, who was standing beside Hermione, made a face. "Ugh," he muttered under his breath, and Mrs. Weasley gave him a stern look.

A minute later, they were still joined by their lips, and Hermione significantly cleared her throat loudly. The pair immediately broke apart. Ginny pushed a strand of hair from her eyes, and Harry blushed.

"Right. Er, Voldemort." Ron shuddered when Harry said this.

"Grow up, Ronald," Hermione chided. Ron just yawned, then whacked Harry on the back playfully. Harry fell into Hermione, nearly knocking the two down.

"Good to see ya, mate!" Hermione glared, straightening her blouse.

"We need our energy. I'll see everyone in the morning." Harry headed upstairs.

"It's already morning," a drowsy voice pointed out, yawning widely. "Harry's here?"

"'Morning, Fred. Er, sorry. George," Harry said, shaking the twin's hand. "I'll see you later!" He ran this time, and shut his door.

Ron followed, and Hermione and Ginny headed up to their room. Harry climbed into the four-poster bed. "'Night. Sort of."

"'Night, mate," Ron answered. There was a knock. Harry sat up.

"Not again," he mumbled under his breath, then went to the door. "Oh, Hermione. Yes?"

"An owl delivered a letter address to a Mr…" she paused, and Harry reached out his hand, "…Ronald Weasley." She thrust the letter into Ron's hands, and plopped down onto his bed. "What's it say?"

Ron gaped at the seal. "Well?" Harry asked.

"Er…_I have Sturgis and Mundugus. I'm willing to exchange them for Harry Potter. _He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, it's signed," Ron read.

"Did he sign it Lord Voldemort, or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" Hermione wondered, reaching for the letter.

"Vol-Vol-Voldemort," Ron choked out. "Harry for Mundungus and Sturgis." He gulped audibly.


End file.
